Recipe: Budae Jjigae (Korean Army Stew) 부대찌개

Budae jjigae 부대찌개, also known as Korean Army Stew is an easy and quick stew made with instant noodles, ham, sausages, spam, and baked beans, first created shortly after the armistice that ended the Korean War, using surplus foods from US military bases. These days, budae jjigae is a popular anju to accompany alcoholic drinks during a drinking session as well as being a comfort food for many Koreans, cooked on the table in a big pot in front of diners. 

I had plenty of instant noodles and frozen sausages stocked up during the early days of the pandemic so it became one of the things I made in the kitchen occasionally. While it is not one of the healthiest things to cook, it is immensely satisfying and delicious. For our version, we would often include Shin Ramyun noodles, soft tofu, chicken frankfurters, rice cakes (tteok), eggs, spring onions and kimchi. 

So, before catching up on the next episode of Squid Game on Netflix, why not cook up a pot of budae jjigae to enjoy? ;)

Budae Jjigae (Korean Army Stew) 부대찌개

Recipe by Baby Sumo

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 10-15 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients
1.2l water

2 packs Shin Ramyun noodle

1/2 tube soft tofu, sliced
4 chicken frankfurters, sliced at an angle
16 rice cakes, stick type (tteok), rinsed
Eggs
A large handful spring onions, cut into 2” length
1 cup kimchi
4T kimchi juice

1. Bring water to the boil. Add kimchi juice and noodle seasoning.

2. Add frankfurters and ramen noodles, and cook for 2 minutes. Add tteok, tofu and kimchi and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.

3. Break eggs on top and cook until set, about 1-2 mins. Add spring onions and serve.

Budae Jjigae (Korean Army Stew) 부대찌개 Budae Jjigae (Korean Army Stew) 부대찌개 Budae Jjigae (Korean Army Stew) 부대찌개 Budae Jjigae (Korean Army Stew) 부대찌개 

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